Drugmakers are lobbying Congress not to include language in a long-term spending bill that would prevent makers of branded drugs from withholding samples from generic-drug makers.

A bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., would require hospitals to report both revenue derived from participation in the 340B drug discount program and demographics on patients who receive drugs covered by the program.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America asked Colombia's health department to revoke a resolution capping prices on hepatitis C treatments and moving toward issuing compulsory licenses and said failure to do so could undermine a trade agreement with the US and Colombia's efforts to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

House Republicans leaders are attempting to advance a bill designed to fund cost-sharing reduction payments and a reinsurance pool. The bill will likely face opposition, however, with Democrats having largely abandoned support for CSRs after the repeal of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate penalty, and many Republicans are opposed.

The FDA will release clinical study summary reports for recently approved drugs under a pilot program that is part of new transparency initiatives by the agency, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said.

Keytruda along with two chemotherapies extended disease-free progression of lung cancer in a clinical trial, Merck announced.